Donating or Receiving Blood

The Basics | Blood Safety | In the Courts | Other News

See also: HIV/AIDS Basics & Prevention

The Basics

Blood Donation FAQs (Regularly Updated)
From America's Blood Centers
Donor Screening and Deferral (Regularly Updated)
From American Association of Blood Banks
Facts About Transfusion Safety (Regularly Updated)
From Community Blood Services of Illinois
How to Give Blood (Regularly Updated)
56 blood facts.
From America's Blood Centers
The Facts About Donating Blood (Regularly Updated)
From American Association of Blood Banks
No Changes in Restrictions on Gay Blood Donors, U.S. Advisory Panel Recommends (June 14, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
How Safe Is the Blood Supply in the United States? (October 20, 2006)
From U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Transfusions and HIV Infection (August 4, 1997)
From U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Blood Safety

Canada: Gay Men Could Soon Be Allowed to Donate Blood (September 9, 2011)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
How Safe is the Blood Supply in the United States? (October 20, 2006)
From U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Transmission of HIV by Blood, Blood Products, Tissue Transplantation, and Artificial Insemination (October 2003)
From HIV InSite Knowledge Base Chapter
System to Remove HIV From Donated Blood Planned (November 19, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration Raps Red Cross for Blood-Safety Lapses (October 24, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Blood Cleansing Would Raise Need for Donors (August 9, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Experts Debate Cleansing Blood (August 8, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration, Florida State to Look Into Procedures at Blood Bank (July 22, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Florida: Tainted Donor Blood Infects Two (July 19, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Florida: Blood Bank Received Warning Letters From FDA (July 19, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Technique May Improve Safety of Donated Blood (April 2, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
FDA Approves First Nucleic Acid Test System to Screen Whole Blood Donors for Infections With Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus (February 28, 2002)
From U.S. Food and Drug Administration

In the Courts

Canada: Critics of Gay Blood Donation Ban See "Glimmer of Hope" in Ruling Upholding Ban (September 13, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Canada: Blood Donor Ban Upheld (September 10, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Chinese Court Rejects Gay Man's Lawsuit Over Blood Donation (July 9, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Panel Studies Lifting Ban on Gay Men Donating Blood (June 9, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Federal Ban on Gay Men's Blood Donation to Be Reconsidered (June 2, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Canada: Not All Gay Blood Donors Pose Same Risk, Court Told (January 6, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Canada: Sexual History Dictates Blood Risk -- Lawyer (January 5, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Canada: Ban on Gay Blood Donors Is Unconstitutional, Man Argues in Counter-Suit (October 6, 2009)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Australia: Gay Blood Donor Complaint Dismissed (June 4, 2009)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Marion County, Ind., Officials Charge Five People With Knowingly Selling Their HIV-Positive Blood Plasma (July 21, 2003)
In Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
U.S. Doctor Appears in Canadian Court on Charges Linked to Tainted Blood (December 12, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Police File Criminal Charges Decades After Canadian Tainted-Blood Scandal (November 21, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Texas Man Sues After Being Infected With HIV From Transfusion (April 1, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Other News

Sen. Kerry: End of Britain's Gay Blood Donor Ban a Tipping Point (September 13, 2011)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
United Kingdom: Ban on Gay Men Giving Blood to Be Lifted (September 8, 2011)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Politician Attacks U.S. Gay Blood Ban (August 1, 2011)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. to Take Another Look at Gay Blood Donation Ban (July 26, 2011)
In National Journal
Canada: Door Opens for Gay Blood Donors (January 28, 2011)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Colorado Transplant Patient Infected With AIDS Virus in 2008 (October 26, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
HIV Transmission Through Transfusion -- Missouri and Colorado, 2008 (October 22, 2010)
To read PDF, click here.
In Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Gay Men Condemn Blood Ban as Biased (August 16, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Canada: Lift Blood Donation Ban for Some Gay Men -- Doctors (May 26, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Easing of Blood-Donation Rules Urged (April 26, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
FDA to Revisit Gay Blood Donations Policy (March 15, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Senators: Lift Ban on Gays Donating Blood (March 5, 2010)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Canada: Gay Men Win Stem Cell Fight (December 18, 2009)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Swedish Agency Revises Guidelines for Blood Donors (December 1, 2009)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
United Kingdom: National Health Service Ban on "High-Risk" Gay Men Donating Blood to Be Reviewed (October 27, 2009)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
California Proposal Would Lift FDA Ban on Blood Donations From MSM (May 4, 2009)
In Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
U.K. Report Examines Contaminated Blood Products That Spread HIV in 1970s, 1980s (February 24, 2009)
In Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
California County Board of Supervisors Votes to Oppose FDA Policy Barring MSM From Donating Blood (February 28, 2008)
In Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Number of HIV-Positive Blood Donors in Japan Reaches Record High in 2007 (January 24, 2008)
In Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
World Facing Serious Shortage of Safe Blood for Transfusions (April 7, 2004)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Rep. Price Introduces Bill That Would Compensate Individuals Who Contracted HIV Through Blood Transfusions (August 4, 2003)
[Archived Article]
In Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Obituary: Steve Grissom, Battler on HIV Blood (August 6, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Canada: Blood Service Stymied by Gay Donor's Taunts (July 30, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Florida Blood Donors Stay the Course (July 26, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
South Florida Launches Kids' World Blood Bank (March 20, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Confidence in Blood Supply Must Rank First (March 19, 2002)
An op-ed defending the exclusion of gay men from blood donation.
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. Panel Advises Tattooed and Pierced Not Give Blood (March 15, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
New Diagnostic Testing Measures: FDA Approves First Nucleic Acid Test Systems to Screen Plasma for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus (September 21, 2001)
In STEP Ezine, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
Should Gay Men Be Allowed to Donate Blood? (November/December 2000)
In GMHC Treatment Issues, from Gay Men's Health Crisis
Organ Transplants: One Million Dollars for Research (July 2, 1999)
[Archived Article]
From AIDS Treatment News